Fire Hazards in the Kitchen!

1/2/2018 (Permalink)

According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking is often a relaxing and fun task that brings family and friends together, and it provides a great way to showcase your creativity and love of good food.

But cooking is also the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. Being mindful while you cook, however, can go a long way to helping prevent these fires. 

Cooking fires by the numbers

Based on 2011-2015 annual averages:

• Cooking equipment was the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, causing 47% of home fires that resulted in 20% of the home fire deaths and 45% of the injuries.**
   
• Two-thirds (66%) of home cooking fires started with the ignition of food or other cooking materials. 
• Clothing was the item first ignited in less than 1% of these fires, but clothing ignitions led to 18% of the home cooking equipment fire deaths. 
• Ranges or cooktops accounted for the majority (62%) of home cooking fire incidents. 
• Unattended equipment was a factor in one-third (33%) of reported home cooking fires and half (43%) of the associated deaths.. 
• Frying dominates the cooking fire problem.
   
• Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires.

Source: NFPA's "Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment" report
Source**: NFPA's "Home Structure Fires" report